Sheet metal locking means



Dec. 26, 1961 O. O. KYTTA SHEET METAL LOCKING MEANS Filed Oct. 26, 1959 INVENTOR.

051M440 0. (7 BY 6%. q. a 244 z 147' 7' OF/Vf Y 3,614,745 Patented Dec. 26, 1961 fice 3,014,745 SHEET METAL LOCKING MEANS Oswaitl Kytta, South Bend, Ind, assignor to The Bendix Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 26, 1959, 'Sei'. No. 848,781 9 Claims. (Cl. 292-252) The present invention relates to means for locking steel plates or sheets together; and more particularly to means for locking an end closure member to a steel shell.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved method and structure for locking two juxtaposed members together by means of a ball wherein one of the members is a yieldable plate or sheet and wherein a ball is locked between a stamped groove in the sheet and a depression in the juxtaposed surface.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved locking structure for the end closure member of a cylindrical chamber and wherein at least one of the members forming the shell or enclosure memher is made from a yieldable plate or sheet having a plurality of circumferentially spaced grooves therein and having a ball extend out of each groove into a depression in the other of the members.

The invention resides in certain constructions and combinations and arrangements of parts; and further objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates from the following description of the preferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end view of a power operated master cylinder of the type shown in the Earl R. Price application SN. 699,384 filed November 27, 1957, now abandoned and in which the end cover plate of the servomotor is held in place by new and improved structure;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of one portion of the locking structure shown in FIGURE 1 and is indicated as taken approximately on the line 22 of FIGURE 1; I

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and showing the structure in its locked position;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional View taken approximately on the line 4-4 of FIGURES 1 and 2;-

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view corresponding to that shown in FIGURE 3 excepting that the structure is shown in its unlocked position. 7

Although the inventoin may be otherwise embodied, it is herein shown and described as being used to lock a stamped end cover plate in the end of a stamped steel shell. The structure shown is particularly intended to hold the end cover plate in the end of the servomotor housing of the power brake structure shown and described in the previously referred to Earl R. Price application 699,384.

Referring to FIGURE 4 of the drawing, it will be seen that the end of the stamped steel shell 10 which is closed off by the end cover plate 12 is cylindrically shaped. The outer edge of the end cover plate 12 is bent outwardly to provide a cylindrical surface or flange '14 which is concentric with and s'lidably engages the inside surface of the outer end of the stamped steel shell 10. According to principles of the present invention, one of the juxtaposed surfaces which is made of sheet metal or plate and which therefore is yieldably deformable is stamped to provide a generally circumferentially extending groove 16, and the other of the members is provided with a generally spherically shaped socket or depression 18. At least one of the members should preferably be made of sheet metal or plate so as to be yieldably deformable; and a ball 20 such as a ball bearing is positioned between the socket 18 and groove 16 so as to lock the two members together. An opening 22 which will receive the ball 20 is provided adjacent one end of the 'groove 16 so that the ball can be placed into the socket 18 when it underlies the opening 22; and so that the members can be moved relative to each other lengthwise of the groove 16 to carry the ball -20 down the groove and lock the members together. In order that the end cover plate 12 will be firmly held in position by means of the above described locking structure only, it is preferred that three or more of the above described locking structures be provided at generally equally spaced intervals around the circumference of the two juxtaposed surfaces.

While in some instances the groove 16 might be uni form throughout its length and the yielding of one of its surfaces be depended upon to frictionally hold the structure against rotation and subsequent unlocking of the structure; it is preferred that the end of the groove opposite to the opening 22. be made somewhat deeper, as at 24; so that once the ball 20 is moved to the deeper end of the groove, unlocking relative movement between the members will thereafter be restrained. Interference fit between the ball and groove can be providedin a number of manners, as for example either one of the two sheet metal surfaces can be depended upon to be yieldably deformable to so'meextent; and as best seen in FIGURE 4, the outwardly turned flange 14 of the end cover plate 12 can be depended upon to deform slightly inwardly to provide the desired interference fit. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, however, a longitudinally extending slit 26 is provided iii the walls of the groove 16 so that a good portion of the yielding which is required in moving the ball 20 from the opening 2-2 to the depression or socket 24 is provided by the sidewalls of the groovel itself. One of the advantages of the latter described deformation of the sidewalls of the groove 16 is that the flange 14 and 'end of the steel shell 10 are permitted to remain in substantially sliding engagement without any appreciable separation of the two surfaces adjacent each of the locking structures. v V

In some instances it may be preferable to form the groove 24 in the end cover plate 12 and the depression 18 in the outer shell 10-par'ticularly where the outer shell 10 is a quite rigid structure. It is intended that the end cover plate 12 will be installed into the end of the shell 10 when the shell 10 is in a vertical position so that each of the balls 20 will tend to remain in their groove 16 prior to the time that the cover plate is rotated to lock the structure in place. In some instances it will be preferable to move the opening 2-2 off center with respect to the groove 24 by a slight amount so that the opening 22 is in the upper side of the sidewalls of the groove 16 closest to the upper end of the shell to insure that the balls will be retained in the groove prior to rotation of the upper plate 12.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the particular constructions shown and described; and it is mv intention to cover hereby all novel adaptations, modifications and arrangements thereof which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

I claim:

1. In sheet metal locking structure: a pair of members having juxtaposed sliding surfaces that are restrained against separating movement in a direction normal to said surfaces, one of said members being made of sheet metal, the other of said surfaces having spaced depressions therein; a plurailty of balls of predetermined diameter, individual ones of which project out of individual ones of said depressions; said surface of said sheet metal member having a plurality of grooves extending in the same direction, said grooves being spaced in a manner identical to that of said depressions with the corresponding ends of individual ones of said grooves overlying individual ones of said depressions, each groove and aligned depression having a combined depth less than the diameter of the ball therein to provide an interference fit therewith, said sheet metal member having openings therethrough each of which are located at corrcspondingly located portions of respective grooves and large enough to permit one of said balls to be inserted therethrough into a depression, and said sheet metal member being resiliently deformable away from said other surface by a distance equaling said interference fit to permit said one of said members to be moved in a direction parallel to said grooves until said balls rest in corresponding ends of said grooves, and whereby said members are tightly held against movement in a direction transversely of said grooves.

2. In sheet metal locking structure: a pair of members having juxtaposed sliding surfaces that are restrained against separating movement in a direction normal to said surfaces, one of said members being made of sheet metal, the other of said surfaces having spaced depressions therein; a plurality of balls of predetermined diameter individual ones of which project out of individual ones of said depressions; said surface of said sheet metal member having a plurality of grooves extending in the same direction, said grooves being spaced in a manner identical to that of said depressions with the corresponding ends of individual ones of said grooves overlying individual ones of said depressions, each groove and aligned depression having a combined depth less than the diameter of the ball therein to provide an interference fit therewith, said sheet metal member having openings therethrough each of which are located at correspondingly located portions of respective grooves and large enough to permit one of said balls to be inserted therethrough into a depression, and said sheet metal member having a plurality of slots therethrough, each of which extends longitudinally of a groove from an opening so as to make the sidewalls of said groove resiliently deformable, and whereby movement of said sheet metal member over said other member in the direction of said grooves causes said grooves to move over said balls to deform said sheet metal member and thereby tightly hold said members against movement in a direction transversely of said grooves.

3. In sheet metal locking structure: a pair of members having juxtaposed sliding surfaces that are restrained against separating movement in a direction normal to said surfaces, one of said members being made of sheet metal, the other of said surfaces having spaced depressions therein; a plurality of balls of predetermined diameter inividual ones of which project out of individual ones of said depressions; said surface of said sheet metal member having a plurality of grooves extending in the same direction, said grooves being spaced in a manner identical to that of said depressions with the corresponding ends of individual ones of said grooves overlying individual ones of said depressions, each groove having opposite end portions which are deeper than its center portion, and the combined depth of said center portion and said depression being less than the diameter of the ball therein to provide an interference fit therewith, said sheet metal member having openings therethrough each of which are located at correspondingly located end portions of respective grooves and large enough to permit one of said balls to be inserted therethrough into a depression, and said sheet metal member having a plurality of slots therethrough, each of which extends longitudinally of a groove from an opening so as to make the sidewalls of said grooves resiliently deformable, and whereby movement of said sheet metal member over said other member in the direction of said grooves toward said opening causes said grooves to move over said balls to deform said sheet metal member until the balls rest in the opposite end portions of said grooves from said openings to thereby resist unlocking movement of said members.

4. In sheet metal locking structure: a first member having an external cylindrical surface, a second member having an inside cylindrical surface telescoped over said cylindrical surface of said first member, at least one of said surfaces being made of sheet metal, and the other of said surfaces having a plurality of circumferentially spaced depressions, said sheet metal member being bent to provide a plurality of generally circumferentially extending grooves in its surface corresponding ends of which align with said depressions, a ball of predetermined diameter in each depression, each groove and aligned depression having a combined depth less than the diameter of the ball therein to provide an interference fit therewith, said sheet metal member having openings therethrough each of which communicate with a respective groove at correspondingly located portions of respective grooves spaced in one direction from said corresponding ends and large enough to permit one of said balls to be inserted therethrough and into a depression, and said sheet metal member being resiliently deformable away from said other surface by a distance equaling said interference fit, whereby rotational movement of said sheet metal member over said depressions in said one direction deforms said sheet metal member to supply sufficient frictional drag to hold said members tightly against telescopic movement.

5. In sheet metal locking structure: a first member having an external cylindrical surface, a second member having an inside cylindrical surface telescoped over said cylindrical surface of said first member, at least one of said surfaces being made of sheet metal, and the other of said surfaces having a plurality of circumferentially spaced depressions, said sheet metal member being bent to provide a plurality of generally circumferentially extending grooves in its surface corresponding ends of which align with said depressions, a ball of predetermined diameter in each depression, each groove and aligned depression having a combined depth less than the diameter of the ball therein to provide an interference fit therewith, said sheet metal member having openings therethrough each of which communicate with a respective groove at correspondingly located portions of respective grooves spaced in one direction from said corresponding ends and large enough to permit one of said balls to be inserted therethrough into a depression, and said sheet metal member having a plurality of slots therethrough each of which extends longitudinally of a groove from an opening so as to make the sidewalls of said groove resiliently deformable, and whereby rotational movement of said sheet metal member over said other member in said one direction causes said grooves to move over said balls to deform said sheet metal members and thereby tightly hold said members against telescopic movement.

6. In sheet metal locking structure: a first member having an external cylindrical surface, a second member having an inside cylindrical surface telescoped over said cylindrical surface of said first member, at least one of said surfaces being made of sheet metal, and the other of said surfaces having a plurality of circumferentially spaced depressions, said sheet metal member being bent to provide a plurality of generally circumferentially extending grooves in its surface corresponding ends of which align with said depressions, said grooves having opposite end portions which are deeper than their center portion, and the combined depth of each center portion and aligned depression being less than the diameter of the ball therein to provide an interference fit therewith, said sheet metal member having openings therethrough each of which are located at correspondingly located end portions of respective grooves of said sheet metal member over said other member causes said grooves to move over said balls to deform said sheet metal member until the balls rest in the oppositevend portions of said grooves to thereby resist unlocking movement of said members.

7. In sheet metal locking structure: a first sheet metal member having an external cylindrical surface, a second sheet metal member having an inside cylindrical surface telescoped over said cylindrical surface of said first sheet metal member, one of said members being indented to provide a plurality of circumferentially spaced depressions in its telescoping cylindrical surface, and the other of said members being bent to provide a plurality of generally circumferentially extending grooves in its telescoping surface corresponding ends of individual ones of which align with individual ones of said depressions, a plurality, of balls of predetermined diameter, indi vidual ones of which project out of individual ones of said depressions into respective ones of said grooves, each groove and aligned depression having a combined depth less than the diameter of the ball therein to provide an interference fit therewith, said other of said sheet metal members having openings therethrough each of which are located at correspondingly located portions of respective grooves spaced in one direction from said corresponding ends and large enough to permit one of said balls to be inserted therethrough into a depression, and whereby said members are tightly held against telescopic movement.

8. In sheet metal locking structure: a first sheet metal member having an external cylindrical surface, a second sheet metal member having an inside cylindrical surface telescoped over said cylindrical surface of said first sheet metal member, one of said members being indented to provide a plurality of circumferentially spaced depressions in its telescoping cylindrical surface, and the other of said members being bent to provide a plurality of generally circnmferentially extending grooves in its telescoping surface corresponding ends of which align with said depressions, a plurality of balls of predetermined diameter individual ones of which project out of individual ones of said depressions into respective ones of said grooves, each groove and aligned depression having a combined depth less than the diameter of the ball therein to provide an interference fit therewith, said other of said sheet metal members having openings therethrough each of which are located at correspondingly located portions of respective grooves spaced in one direction from said corresponding ends and large enough to permit one of said balls to be inserted therethrough into a depression, and said sheet metal memher having a plurality of slots therethrough each of which extends longitudinally of a groove from an opening so as to make the sidewalls of said groove resiliently deformable, and whereby relative rotation of said sheet metal members causes said grooves to move over said balls to deform said other sheet metal member and thereby tightly hold said members against telescopic movement.

9. In sheet metal locking structure: a first sheet metal member having an external cylindrical surface, a second sheet metal member having an inside cylindrical surface telescoped over said cylindrical surface of said first sheet metal member, said first member being indented to provide a plurality of circumferentially spaced depressions in its telescoping cylindrical surface, and the other of said members being bent to provide a plurality of generally circumferentially extending grooves in its telescoping surface corresponding ends of individual ones of which align with individual ones of said depressions, a plurality of balls of predetermined diameter individual ones of which project out of individual ones of said depressions into respective ones of said grooves, each groove having opposite end portions which are deeper than its center portion, and the combined depth of said center portion and aligned depression being less than the diameter of the ball therein to provide an interference fit therewith, said second sheet metal member having openings therethrough each of which are located at correspondingly located end portions of respective grooves and large enough to permit one of said balls to be inserted therethrough into a depression, and said sheet metal member having a plurality of slots therethrough each of which extends longitudinally of a groove from an opening so as to make the sidewalls of said groove resiliently deformable, and whereby relative rotation of said members causes said grooves to move over said balls to deform said second sheet metal member until the balls rest in the opposite end portions of said grooves to thereby resist unlocking movement of said members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,038,868 Lindquist Apr. 28, 1936 2,854,274 Gordon Sept. 30, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 590,021 Great Britain July 7, 1947 

